Are You Driven by Guilt?

We all make mistakes.  Whether big or small, knowing that we made them can take us to healthy growth or unhealthy reactions.  I sometimes hear individuals make statements such as, “People shouldn’t feel guilt over things that they have done.”  However, I would tend to disagree with that thought.  As a friend of mine from…

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Are You Disappointed?

“I looked forward to getting married all of my life and then it happened – however, it has been a disaster. Needless to say, it has definitely not met my expectations. I am so very disappointed.” “I remember when my wife lost her temper and said some extremely hurtful things. I was stunned and disappointed…

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Are You Deluded?

“Jealousy is a form of delusion, based on the notion that someone’s gain is somehow our loss.”  As I recently read that quote, I thought, “Hey that’s a great quote.  I can’t believe they thought of that before I did.  Boy, I’ll show them.”  Ok, only kidding on that last thought.  However, what I did…

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Are You Constantly Irritated?

You walk past a co-worker’s desk saying “Good Morning.” He responds with, “Yea, what’s good about it?” You comment to your child that he or she did a nice job on that school project only to have them respond, “Right! You don’t like anything I do.” You send your wife a text expressing how much…

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Are You Connected?

My wife and I have four grandkids ranging from 6 months to 4 years of age. As I have watched the newest one with her mother, I continue to be fascinated with the bonding process. I know from watching Erica interacting with our granddaughter, just how vital and easily that connection can happen. And securely…

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Are You an Idiot?

I love watching reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond” in part because many of Ray and Debra’s interactions are so common to many marriages.  Ray has the propensity (as do many of us) to say and do ridiculous things, resulting in Debra often calling him an idiot.  Now while I don’t recommend calling your spouse an…

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Are You an Alpha?

Most of us have heard the term “alpha” used in reference to male wolves. It conjures up the image of one who is firmly in charge, running the show, dictating what everyone should be doing. It is a picture of power and control. However, I would contend is an inaccurate characterization of wolves and the…

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Are You an Addict?

Kevin, a web developer, realized his level of addiction one evening.  He found that he and his wife would come home from work each day, eat dinner half talking, half catching up on things on their cell phones, and then turn on the TV and each zone out in their separate phone worlds the rest…

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Are You Alone Together?

“You’re with your other husband again,’ Marilyn’s only husband would say every time she turned to her cellphone while the two were driving to dinner.  She thought he was just being his witty-self.”  But then his words began to get to her. In the last couple of years, I have written increasingly about our preoccupation…

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